More than a history of a train station--the story of a city and an age, as reflected in a building aptly described as a secular cathedral.

Winner of the Professional/Scholarly Publishing Award in Architecture given by the Association of Amreican Publishers

"Grand Central Terminal is celebrated for its Beaux-Arts style, but Kurt C. Schlichting looks behind the facade to see the hidden engineering marvels... [His] book will deepen anyone's appreciation for New York's most magnificent interior space."--Eric P. Nash, New York Times Book Review

"His study peels away our contemporary expectations and experiences and reveals the layers of history and acts of men that served as the foundation for this great structure." -- Amy G. Richter, H-Urban, H-Net Reviews

"Drawing heavily from the papers of William J. Wilgus (chief engineer of the New York Central Railroad and the genius behind plans for the smoke-free electrified rail system) and other primary-source material, the author combines railroading, structural engineering, architecture, and business history in a very readable text... [An] in-depth treatment of design and architecture." -- Library Journal

"The book is the most detailed account yet of one of the most important events in the history of 20th-century architecture, railroad development, and city building." -- Choice

"Ably tells the story of the New York rail system's most active and visible symbol: the architectural and engineering masterpiece, with its grand public concourse, in the heart of Midtown."--William Mitchell, New Scientist

"Grand Central Terminal is the single most important building in New York City -- at once a symbol of corporate capitalism, an architectural landmark, and a critical transport hub. Kurt Schlichting's thoroughly researched, well-illustrated book is the best history ever written on this vital subject. Schlichting's achievement lies in explaining Grand Central Terminal's career and in placing its complicated development squarely in the context of New York City's larger history." -- Clifton Hood, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, author of 722 Miles: The Building of the Subways and How They Transformed New York

"A lot has been written about Grand Central Terminal, but this is the first book to take the reader deeply inside the intricacies and agonies that went into creating this remarkable monument. With fascinating insights, Kurt Schlichting explores Grand Central as both an innovative engineering project and a force in shaping the life of the city. His book will give New Yorkers -- and everyone else -- a new appreciation of just how visionary a project Grand Central was and what a difficult, complex, and sometimes hair-raising job it was to build." -- Herbert H. Harwood, Jr., author of Royal Blue Line and Impossible Challenge: The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in Maryland

Grand Central Terminal, one of New York City's preeminent buildings, stands as a magnificent Beaux-Arts monument to America's Railway Age, and it remains a vital part of city life today. Completed in 1913 after ten years of construction, the terminal became the city's most important transportation hub, linking long-distance and commuter trains to New York's network of subways, elevated trains, and streetcars. Its soaring Grand Concourse still offers passengers a majestic gateway to the wonders beyond 42nd Street.

In Grand Central Terminal, Kurt C. Schlichting traces the history of this spectacular building, detailing the colorful personalities, bitter conflicts, and Herculean feats of engineering that lie